240 Miscellaneous. 



coral-conglomerate rock occurring on the south side, portions of 

 species at present existing on the reef may be distinctly recognized. 

 As the outer margin of the reef has not yet been elevated above the 

 surface of the sea, there is necessarily some difficulty in its examina- 

 tion ; but future years will bring to light many of the hidden trea- 

 sures of its natural history. 



Description of Siphonactinia, a new genus of Actiniae from Norway. 

 By D. C. Danielssen and J. Koren. 



Genus Siphonactinia. 



Siphone cylindrico, valde excentrice extra discum prominente, 

 a disco et aliquanto sursum duodecim plicis membranaceis cohseren- 

 tibus — coUari tentaculiformi — circumdato ; superiore in parte margo 

 rotundatus, cujus in parte exteriore tres eminentise cartilaginosae et 

 in interiore fissura per totam siphonis longitudinem porrecta ; tenta- 

 cula uniseriata nee retractilia. 



Siphonactinia Boeckii, the only species, occurs on the coast of 

 Norvi^ay at a depth of 80-200 fathoms. It is a small species, with 

 the body about an inch in length ; and the tentacles, which are twelve 

 in number and arranged in a single row, measure about f ths of an 

 inch. — Fauna Litt. NorvegicB^ livr. ii. p. 87. 



On the Occurrence of Urocerus gigas in Cornwall. 

 To the Editors of the Annals of Natural History. 



Gentlemen, — Observing in the Number of the Edinburgh Phi- 

 losophical Journal for last month (p. 1 72) a notice of the appearance 

 of iJrocerus gigas at Banchory in Scotland, I am induced to call 

 your attention to a similar fact having taken place in my neighbour- 

 hood, at Coldrennick, near Liskeard, Cornwall, the seat of Charles 

 Trelawney, Esq. Some ladies, last week, sitting in an arbour, were 

 attracted by a singular tapping in one of the posts of fir (which had 

 been cut from a neighbouring plantation in the previous year); after 

 a time, a black, moveable head made its appearance on the surface, 

 which was speedily followed by the body of an insect, which they 

 caught, and which turned out to be the Urocerus. Subsequently, 

 for several days, fresh specimens were noticed of individuals of the 

 same species, though varying in size. Although most writers speak 

 of these pests being rare in this country, yet it is to be feared, from 

 these two localities above mentioned being infested with them, that 

 they have probably become indigenous, and will require the attention 

 of naturalists to devise some method of destroying them, short of 

 the German practice of cutting down the plantations. 



I enclose one of the insects, a male, which corresponds with the 

 plate and description given in Donovan's * British Insects,' except 

 that the abdomen is entirely black, and the last seven segments of 

 the back of a yellow colour. 



Your obedient Servant, 

 Plymouth, Aug. 10, 1857. Edward Moore, M.D., F.L.S., 



Vice-President Plymouth Institution. 



